Battery Relocation
#1
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Misawa, Japan
Posts: 5,091
Battery Relocation
NOTE: this was not really a write up i just took pictures. but i can turn it into one.. also don't put the battery on the drivers side. disrupts the weight distribution. however if you do so.. you can put a lighter battery in the box
ill take pictures of the way I hooked up/routed the power cable. technically the battery is not suppose to be on the driver side, but i wanted to try it... now im going to relocate it dead center inline with engine,tranny and diff.
-------------------------------------------------------------
pics
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7608/kp2270240lz2.jpg)
WestMarine: Battery Box= $13
WestMarine: dual insulated 14 ft 4guage cable= $80( can be had cheaper)
Lowes:Rubber/hard washers,1/2" Bolts,Nuts= $5-7
Auto Zone: battery Terminals, 70amp fuse, ground cable= $12
![](http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/3876/kp5160344rz0.jpg)
![](http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7503/kp5160346xz3.jpg)
if you don't have abs or hicas, this slot will be open.drill/poke a hole in it and insert your cable.the cable will come out along side of your ecu. if you would like, you can peel the ecu grommet back and insert the cable there also. no drilling in fire wall required
note: my car is very low and no rubbing at all with 17" wheels and 215 45 r17 tires
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6899/kp2270244qx5.jpg)
![](http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3112/kp5160340jz6.jpg)
![](http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/305/kp5160341av9.jpg)
(excuse the clutter, thats my turbo in that box
)
![](http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8638/kp5160342ug1.jpg)
total of 4 mounting points with rubber spacers.
with in the off-white box you can drill anywhere, nothing is located there. however, when drilling holes 3 and 4 make sure that you don't drill into the antenna and small wires. all you have to do is apply a little force, and the antenna will flex easily
the Red boxes show my drill points
with in the blue box, there is a bolt already right there. what i did was take a wire wheel/drill combo and stripped the paint off to create perfect ground
![](http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4709/kp2270246th2mx0.jpg)
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/639/kp2270248be7.jpg)
Done.
Note:
1) i didn't install an tie down inside of the box becuase my battery fills the case up, but i will squeez one in when i relocate it again just to cover ALLLL points for very technical safety tech places. with the washers bolts and 4 points the box doesn't flex or move at all so that would pass tech inspections. but for peace of mind you can add additional tie down inside.
2) in the top right you see the speaker mount, that must be removed in order to drop the battery in..I have deleted them since i don't listen to the radio.
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6274/kp2270251rr9.jpg)
ill take pictures of the way I hooked up/routed the power cable. technically the battery is not suppose to be on the driver side, but i wanted to try it... now im going to relocate it dead center inline with engine,tranny and diff.
-------------------------------------------------------------
pics
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7608/kp2270240lz2.jpg)
WestMarine: Battery Box= $13
WestMarine: dual insulated 14 ft 4guage cable= $80( can be had cheaper)
Lowes:Rubber/hard washers,1/2" Bolts,Nuts= $5-7
Auto Zone: battery Terminals, 70amp fuse, ground cable= $12
![](http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/3876/kp5160344rz0.jpg)
![](http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7503/kp5160346xz3.jpg)
if you don't have abs or hicas, this slot will be open.drill/poke a hole in it and insert your cable.the cable will come out along side of your ecu. if you would like, you can peel the ecu grommet back and insert the cable there also. no drilling in fire wall required
note: my car is very low and no rubbing at all with 17" wheels and 215 45 r17 tires
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6899/kp2270244qx5.jpg)
![](http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/3112/kp5160340jz6.jpg)
![](http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/305/kp5160341av9.jpg)
(excuse the clutter, thats my turbo in that box
![Yumyum](https://www.s-chassis.com/forums/images/smilies/yumyum.gif)
![](http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/8638/kp5160342ug1.jpg)
total of 4 mounting points with rubber spacers.
with in the off-white box you can drill anywhere, nothing is located there. however, when drilling holes 3 and 4 make sure that you don't drill into the antenna and small wires. all you have to do is apply a little force, and the antenna will flex easily
the Red boxes show my drill points
with in the blue box, there is a bolt already right there. what i did was take a wire wheel/drill combo and stripped the paint off to create perfect ground
![](http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/4709/kp2270246th2mx0.jpg)
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/639/kp2270248be7.jpg)
Done.
Note:
1) i didn't install an tie down inside of the box becuase my battery fills the case up, but i will squeez one in when i relocate it again just to cover ALLLL points for very technical safety tech places. with the washers bolts and 4 points the box doesn't flex or move at all so that would pass tech inspections. but for peace of mind you can add additional tie down inside.
2) in the top right you see the speaker mount, that must be removed in order to drop the battery in..I have deleted them since i don't listen to the radio.
![](http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6274/kp2270251rr9.jpg)
![](http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7771/coolaidaq5.png)
Last edited by Biggamehit; 09-09-2007 at 12:06 PM.
#5
This is much appreciated, thanks for going into details on what is needed!
I need to do this for my ca18det swap, now that the intercooler piping runs through my battery tray.
Will you be doing any additional grounding?
I need to do this for my ca18det swap, now that the intercooler piping runs through my battery tray.
Will you be doing any additional grounding?
#7
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Misawa, Japan
Posts: 5,091
no. you don't run it to the starter. there is one picture I left out which i will put up. all you are doing is taking the power cable that use to attach to the battery and cutting the terminal off and soldering the new wire into that... or you could clamp it together... however you do it, just make sure that it will not come apart..
after that you are going to wrap it all up with electrical tape
ps
i didn't use the fuse becuase i am not running audio or high electronics. so the stock fuse is fine.
as far as grounding i made my own cables. and added them to the chassis.. adding grounds is not really needed also if you take your current grounds and blast all of the dirt and grime off with and wire wheel.
after that you are going to wrap it all up with electrical tape
ps
i didn't use the fuse becuase i am not running audio or high electronics. so the stock fuse is fine.
as far as grounding i made my own cables. and added them to the chassis.. adding grounds is not really needed also if you take your current grounds and blast all of the dirt and grime off with and wire wheel.
Last edited by Biggamehit; 04-02-2007 at 06:32 PM.
#12
This is a good writeup. Im going in another direction with my 240 now that Ive spent so much time rebuilding it... Im going for sound. Pure, clean, loud sound. To do this Im gonna run an extra batt (or two!) in the hatch... This helps quite a bit.
#13
Is the point of this to transfer the weight of the battery to the rear of the car?
Someone on ebay was selling an s13 with a relocated battery and coolant reservoir.
It looked really clean with nothing at all on the left side of the engine bay in front of the strut tower.
Someone on ebay was selling an s13 with a relocated battery and coolant reservoir.
It looked really clean with nothing at all on the left side of the engine bay in front of the strut tower.
#14
Contributing Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Misawa, Japan
Posts: 5,091
thats an advantage..... but the primary reason is, relocation allows you to run Intercooler piping through the battery tray. I actually would not have done this had i went to my base auto store becuase they sell the small batteries.
im so in tune with my car that the location i have the battery at sucks becuase im sitting on the same side as the and when im in the corners i can fell it... thats why im relocating the battery to the center... but thats just me... in most other battery relocations i have seen, they are on the opposite side of the driver. another reason is, your cable doesn't have to be that long
NEW pictures added.
im so in tune with my car that the location i have the battery at sucks becuase im sitting on the same side as the and when im in the corners i can fell it... thats why im relocating the battery to the center... but thats just me... in most other battery relocations i have seen, they are on the opposite side of the driver. another reason is, your cable doesn't have to be that long
NEW pictures added.
Last edited by Biggamehit; 04-03-2007 at 10:02 AM.